The foundation for Gran Havana San Diego was laid more than twenty years ago when Ahmad Mesdaq opened a coffee shop downtown on Fifth Ave in 1994. One of his customers walked in looking for cafecito. Along with learning how to make Cuban coffee from this man, Mesdaq got an earful about cigars. The electrical engineer turned entrepreneur decided to start manufacturing cigars and his new coffee shop soon turned into a cigar factory. It didn't take long for people to fall in love with Gran Havana cigars. To keep up with demand, at one point, 15 cigar rollers were on the payroll.

Soon, it was time to move into a bigger property. But the new location for the cigar factory ultimately fell victim to eminent domain. The setback, however, only made Mesdaq more determined to open a new Gran Havana. He traveled through Europe, Asia and the Middle East to get inspiration to help create an exquisite environment for visitors.